On The Run

A riff on the familiar American ‘80s crime movie where a helpless female must be protected from bad guys by a begrudging bodyguard (think Stallone’s Cobra), this Hong Kong variation introduces a clever gender-swap and takes some seriously dark turns. Starring Yuen Biao and Patricia Ha as the mismatched couple dodging corrupt cops and underworld thugs, On the Run (1988) knows it’s treading on familiar territory. So director Alfred Cheung plots a route with just enough zigs and zags to make the trip interesting.

After his DEA wife is murdered by a professional hit, Ming (Biao Yuen), a cop himself, vows to solve the case on his own time. But his activity stirs up a conspiracy within the department that puts his entire family at risk. His only hope is Pai (Patricia Ha), ironically enough the hired gun responsible for the death of his wife. Now both of them are on the hit list, forcing a truce while they try to get Ming’s daughter to safety.

Delivering an unexpectedly emotional performance, Biao isn’t asked to do any of his usual athletic martial arts moves here; It’s Patricia Ha who has all the survival skills. Cool under fire and a crack shot herself, she’s anything but a damsel in distress. Moving through the film with practiced nonchalance, Ha’s character is like a protective Lady Terminator completely uninterested in forgiveness and motivated solely by survival. This flip of the genre’s usual power dynamic never feels forced, though attempts to soften Pai’s hard edges with hints of maternal instinct are admittedly clumsy.

On the Run may wear the same cinematic clothes as its Hollywood counterparts, but there’s an unexpected bleakness US audiences would never stand for. Cheung’s film leaves behind a body count that includes more than disposable characters with real consequences that push the story beyond pure escapism. It’s a reminder that Hong Kong cinema wasn’t merely remixing Western cliches. They were making genre films told without the usual safety nets in place.

The new region A/B Blu-ray from 88 Films looks sharp and colorful, sporting a new 2K transfer from the original elements that really shows off the super-saturated aesthetic. Extras include two audio commentary tracks, filmmaker interviews, an alternate ending, trailer and slip cover.